Parallels for Mac is too expensive, so I switched to this free VM instead

Back when Apple used Intel chips on Macs, it was rather easy for anyone to boot Windows on a Mac using Boot Camp. However, ever since the brand switched to using its in-house ARM-based M-series chips, macOS bid adieu to Boot Camp — resulting in no native way to use Windows. Some time later, though, third-party apps like Parallels came onto the scene, letting you use Windows on an ARM-based Mac. The catch? Parallels is expensive, so not everyone can get access to it. If you’re a student and you want to use Windows to run a specific app, shelling out hundreds of dollars isn’t a wise option.

I also started to feel the pinch, since I use Windows rarely on my Mac — probably once a month. For that sort of usage, paying every month felt like a waste of money. That’s when I started looking for alternatives. After perusing through several options on the web, I finally settled on UTM. It’s essentially a virtual machine for macOS that lets you run an ISO image of Windows for free. I was initially skeptical since Parallels, albeit expensive, performed extremely well. So I wasn’t sure if a free app would perform equally well. Nonetheless, I installed it and used it for a week. It’s now been over a week, and I’ve uninstalled Parallels and made UTM my default gateway to Windows on Mac.

Setting up UTM

It’s straightforward

The UTM app has a simple UI. As soon as you open it, you will be asked to choose whether you want to set up a new VM or use an existing one. Once you select the option to set up a new one, pick the OS you want to use. Apart from Windows, you can set up another instance of macOS or use a Linux distro. As soon as you select the OS, you will be asked to select a relevant ISO to boot. If you already have a Windows 11 ISO on your Mac, you can open it directly.

If you don’t, UTM provides an excellent option to download the relevant ISO directly from within the app. It does so by utilizing another app called CrystalFetch ISO Downloader. Install the app, select which OS you want to install, and download the relevant ISO. Then, go back to the UTM app and navigate to the downloaded file. Follow the on-screen instructions, and you should boot into the Windows 11 setup menu.

Running Windows 11 on macOS

Works just like Parallels

What I found to be impressive about using UTM on my Mac is that the performance is as good as it was on Parallels. I allocated 4GB of memory and 64GB of internal storage to UTM, and Windows 11 seems to be running fine. For the record, I use a MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM, and half a terabyte of storage. Running the usual day-to-day apps on Windows, using the command prompt, and playing around with the settings on Windows worked perfectly fine.

If you have a Mac with more RAM, I would recommend allocating at least 8GB for even better performance. Moreover, it gives you enough headroom to run more intensive apps and software, especially if your primary purpose for installing Windows is using some advanced software that may not be available on macOS. You may also be able to run some lightweight games or gaming emulators.

The only thing I’m bummed about is the fact that I cannot change the display’s aspect ratio or scale. As a result, everything looks larger than usual, and I cannot use the window in a more traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. Several menu options get hidden due to this, and I’ve also observed some UI elements overlapping each other. I wish I could make it look more like a traditional instance of Windows, just like Parallels. Even the UTM window on macOS doesn’t extend to full screen due to the different aspect ratio. That leaves me with a limited viewing area when using Windows. I wish such issues were ironed out.

Use Windows on your Mac for free

Why pay a hundred bucks to Parallels when you can get a similar experience using UTM for free? The only difference between the two is that setting up UTM takes slightly more effort, since you have to manually download and select the ISO file, whereas Parallels automatically manages the installation for you. If you’re not well-acquainted with technology, you may prefer the seamless approach that Parallels adopts. That’s not to say UTM is hard to set up. It just involves a step or two more, and the end result, i.e., the ability to use Windows for free on your Mac — is totally worth it.

UTM

UTM is a virtual machine app for macOS that lets you run Windows and Linux for free.

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